13 Jun 2016

After being totally ignored by Jurgen Klopp in the second half of the season, 'excellent' Liverpool attacker Joao Carlos Teixeira has finally decided to quit the club and seek first-team football elsewhere.

"Joao Carlos Teixeira has rejected a contract to stay at Anfield to join FC Porto. The 23-year-old has signed a deal until 2020 with the Portuguese giants".

Reacting to his new deal, Teixeira enthused:

“I am from the north and to [play for Porto] has always been a dream. I had other offers but do not want anything other than to wear blue and white.”

I've constantly argued for Teixeira to be given a consistent chance, but there's no point staying at Anfield as he'll never get a proper chance. As history proves, non-British attackers *never* make it through the academy to become first-team regulars, and Teixeira's exit proves once again that the Academy is a graveyard for young foreign attackers.

In Teixeira's case:

* 2012: Considered to be one of Europe's most promising young players. Signs for Liverpool at the age of 19 for €1m.

* 2015: Despite breaking his leg in February 2015, Teixeira wins two 'Player of the Year' awards in one season (For Brighton, and for LFC).

* 2015-16: After showing admirable mental strength/attitude to fight back from a broken leg in just four months, Teixeira achieves the best goals/assists per minute ratio on Liverpool's pre-season summer tour (yet is ignored as soon as the season begins).

* 2015-16: Despite good performances in cup games, Klopp restricts Teixeira to just 3 minutes of Prem game time all season. He then leaves the club on a free transfer.

So, let's get this straight: Liverpool sign one of Europe's most promising young attackers; stunt his development by constantly ignoring him for first-team football, and then let him leave for free. Amazing youth development strategy!

Young players are signed to challenge for the first-team, but there's also an opportunity for the club to make a profit somewhere down the line. In Teixeira's case, Liverpool failed on both counts, and ending up making a loss on the deal.